AFA and DGRV Philippines hold the in-person practicum of the Business Continuity Plan training at Jhai Coffee Farmers Cooperative
The Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and the Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband (DGRV) (German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation) Philippines held Session 3 of the Training on Business Continuity Plan for Farmers’ Organizations on 20-22 October 2026 at the Jhai Coffee Farmers Cooperative headquarters in Pakse, Lao PDR.
This was the third session in the training series and the in-person practicum for Batch 1 of the participants. Before traveling to Lao PDR, participants from AFA members and partners had completed two online sessions. Session 1 introduced the Business Continuity Management System (BCMS), its purpose, and its relevance to the preparedness and resilience of cooperatives. Session 2 was a three-day deep dive into the key concepts, processes, and tools for developing and applying BCMS, including how to assess and manage risks.
From classroom to coffee cooperative
Session 3 moved the learning out of the virtual classroom and into a working cooperative. Participants from Jhai Coffee Farmers Cooperative and Lao Farmer Association (LFA) prepared a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) for the host cooperative, while the other participants from Indonesia and Philippines developed a BCP for their own farmers’ organization (FO).
Working directly with Jhai’s members gave participants a close look at the cooperative’s operations and its specific risks. They identified potential impacts and developed continuity and recovery measures grounded in the cooperative’s actual situation.
Who took part
The pilot training brought together selected participants from AFA members:
- Christopher Baes, AgriCOOPh, Philippines
- Ayu Antariksa, Koptan Masagena / Aliansi Petani Indonesia (API), Indonesia
- Kustiwa Adinata, Jaringan Masyarakat Tani (JAMTANI), Indonesia
- Phonekeo Vangna, Business Development Officer, LFA
- Pavina Phommachak, Business Development Officer (Coffee), LFA
Luis Herrera, Project Director of DGRV Philippines, served as resource person and led the training. Phoutthasinh Phimmachanh, Executive Director of the Lao Farmer Association, facilitated the sessions. From AFA, Junie Pandela (Business Development Officer) and Irish Dominado (Communication Officer), along with Gale Martinez from DGRV, also provided support throughout the training.
Building a pool of BCMS champions
The practicum also aims to develop a pool of BCMS champions. These participants are expected to help prepare BCPs for other farmers’ organizations and cooperatives, and, where appropriate, to share their knowledge and conduct similar BCMS/BCP trainings in their own countries or the wider subregion.
The training had four objectives:
- Apply the BCMS concepts, tools, and processes from Sessions 1 and 2 in an onsite practicum with a cooperative in Lao PDR.
- Prepare a BCP for the host cooperative and for each participant’s own FO.
- Strengthen practical skills in identifying risks, assessing impacts, and developing continuity and recovery measures.
- Develop BCMS champions who can replicate the training and support BCP preparation in their organizations and countries.
By putting business continuity planning into practice, AFA and DGRV Philippines aim to help farmers’ organizations and cooperatives across Asia better withstand and recover from disruptions. Click here to view the photos from the training
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